Narisa Nitikarn
Forty pupils from Ban Suanpa Klongtaphetbon School in Borthong District were
taken on a field trip to Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok from January 20 to 21,
on a visit led by Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Region 3 Office
director Chaiwat Charoensuk with the support of the Pattaya business
community.
The field trip was part of the Share Happiness with Young People project,
and in addition the project donated scholarships and educational supplies to
the school.
Students from the 5th and 6th primary school classes at Ban Suanpa
Klongtaphetbon were selected to go on the trip, and they visited Khao Yai
National Park and Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.
TAT Central Region Office Region 8 at Nakhon Nayok warmly welcomed the
youngsters.
They visited the museum in Prachinburi, and went hiking at Khao Yai National
Park, where they also took part in a project to clean up garbage left by
visitors. In addition, they experienced some challenging activities at
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, such as sliding down a rope from a
tower, and ascending a wall using rope.
The children also had the opportunity to visit the Armed Forces Academy
Preparatory School, which no doubt sparked interest in a future career for
some.
The educational supplies donated included books, sports equipment and
bicycles. Scholarships valued at 25,000 baht were presented to the school.
Akkrawit Thapasit, assistant director of TAT Central Office Region 3,
presented the donations to Ban Suanpa Klongtaphetbon director Potchanan
Waitayanon.
Akkrawit, who had organized the field trip, said that most of the children
had no opportunity to travel to other provinces, and that their pleasure and
excitement was a great moment for everyone involved. The intention is to
have a similar outing every month for the less privileged children, he
added.

Painting Umbrellas for Peace at
the Academy & Community Center

TGI-ITS (Thai Garden Resort - Innovation Technology
Services) is operating the Academy & Community Center (ACC) project in
Ban Pru Teaw village close to Takuapa Khao Lak. The project is to build
and install a training center to provide new skills for relocated
tsunami survivors. The construction phase of the center was also to be
used to provide practical training for local people.

Ulrike
Muerz has brought the “Painting Umbrellas for Peace” project to ACC as
part of her volunteer activities.
The project was made possible through the kind donations of the staff of
Siemens AG in Germany, BDI-APA and U.I. Lapp GmbH.
After the construction phase was finished, the training for the
villagers started on August 8, 2006, supported by volunteers from
Germany. Under these activities an additional project, “Painting
Umbrellas for Peace”, was brought to the area by Ulrike Muerz as part of
her volunteer activities at ACC on Saturday February 3, 2007.
The “Umbrella for Peace” project was originated after the tragic event
of September 11, 2001, by Matt Lamp, a German Artist, who painted
umbrellas with the orphans caused by the 11th September as a symbol of
protection - a symbol of protection against anything like rain, sun,
wind and more. Up to now, more than 400,000 umbrellas have been painted
to express the need and wish for peace in the world.
The project is part of the activities of the Schengen Peace Foundation
who promotes peace, tolerance, understanding, hope and love in the
world. The foundation’s peace program reaches out to all people,
regardless of their nationality, religion, race or background.
Some “Umbrellas for Peace” from Thailand will be displayed in Germany as
part of an exhibition of Matt Lamp. The children of Pru Teaw village
painted with great enthusiasm and produced wonderful results. The
workshops will be continued in Pru Teaw and possibly also at other
places.

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Banglamung Cultural Council is to organize a Thai music contest in which
participants will compete for the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup.
A meeting of organizers was held on January 30 at the Mike Shopping Mall’s
conference room, with chairman of the Banglamung Cultural Council Surat
Mekavarakul in the chair.
The HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup Thai Music Contest 2007 is to be
held April 2 and 3 at the front of Mike’s Shopping Mall.
The contest is to be categorized into three classes, namely primary school,
secondary school and the general public, and is being held in honor of Her
Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 52nd birthday on April 2.
More than 30 groups are expected to enter the group category and another 10
in other categories.
Applications are now open at Mike’s Shopping Mall, telephone 038 412 035 and
the office of the Banglamung Cultural Council, telephone 038 223 234 or 086
144 2774. Closing date is March 15.
The finals will be held April 2-3 and the winner will be awarded the
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup, while the 1st and 2nd runners up in the
group category will receive trophies and certificates.

Thai Garden Resort brings joy to underprivileged children

Thai Garden Resort GM René
Pisters, hotel employees and guests hand out toys and necessities to
children at Sutthawas School.

Brigitta Herkner
The Thai Garden Resort and its generous guests this year helped support the
poorest children at Sutthawas School.
During Christmas time and New Year hotel guests and of course also the hotel
itself made their donations for our charity project “Toy for Joy”. At the
end we counted not less than 40,000 baht!
On February 5, we started our convoy towards Sutthawas School. Together with
the general manager, René Pisters, and many colleagues we went in four big
cars to meet the children at their school and hand over school uniforms,
shoes, books and of course a lot of toys and chocolate.
On behalf of all the children: a big thank you!

Assumption home coming success

Last year’s Miss Thailand
Universe Cham Osotarnukhlo was a guest of honour at ACS.

Assumption’s new golf centre
will prove popular with students and local residents.

Mark Beales
Former students got into the swing of a school reunion - by having a look at
the college’s new golf course.
Dozens of former students from Assumption College Sriracha took part in a
raft of activities on Home Coming Day.
One of these was to view a new nine-hole golf training centre near to
Assumption.
The ex-pupils attended a ceremony in the morning to remember former students
and teachers who have died, and then made merit by giving food to monks from
nearby temples.
In the evening a party was held at Assumption where guest of honour was Cham
Osotarnukhlo, last year’s Miss Thailand Universe.

Former ACS students celebrate
their Home Coming Day.

Asian University engineering students visit Srinakarin Dam

On the morning of Saturday 27 January, a group of
students and engineering faculty lecturer, Ajarn Rajesh, visited the famous
hydro power scheme in Kanchanaburi.
Virak Bol is a fourth year mechanical engineering student, and he writes:

(Left)
Fishing at the reservoir
“We were a mix of engineers and our friends from other faculties, and the
visit provided the opportunity to see a real hydro plant, gain physical
knowledge of the system and its operation. We were also interested in seeing
first hand the impact of the scheme on the environment; the knowledge that
can not be learnt in the classroom.
On the way we stopped at Thailand-Burma Railway to have a look at this
historic site. At the end of the afternoon, we reached the Srinakarin Dam
and Hydropower plant. We went around the dam structure and saw how the plant
was built. The atmosphere there is very nice and the air is very fresh.
Early next morning we went on a boat to see the water reservoir and then
went to the power plant.
Srinakarin dam is the first and biggest multipurpose dam developed under the
Mae Klong River Basin Development project. This rockfill dam and the
associated power plant of 720 MW power capacity has hugely contributed
numerous benefits to the country’s rapid development, including irrigation,
flood control, fishery, navigation, recreation and electricity.
The studies started in 1965 and the dam construction started in 1973, and
was finished in 1980. In the hydropower plant there are four turbines. The
power production rate depends on the power demand in various areas, such as
Bangkok. Controlling the power production rate is controlling the volume of
water passing the turbines. For 3.7 cubic metres of water, 1 MW of
electricity can be produced.
Besides the impact on the local inhabitants, the dam and power plant project
affects several aspects of the environment: water quality; killing animals,
including fish; deforestation; archaeology and changing life cycles.
Srinakarin dam and hydropower plant has contributed enormously to Thailand’s
development, providing sufficient water to irrigate 4,118 million rai;
average annual energy production 1,250 million kWh; better flood control;
salinity control; potential for fish breeding and one of the most famous
tourist attractions in Kanchanaburi province.”
The students were especially grateful to staff of EGAT for permitting and
assisting on the visit.

Students are dwarfed by the
pipes leading to the turbines.

The turbine house looks modern
and efficient.

Looking down into turbines.

Virak, 2nd left, with friends
at the sundial.

ACS officially an examining centre

We did it! Students celebrate
passing their Key English Test (KET) at Assumption College Sriracha.

Mark Beales
Star students at Assumption College Sriracha have passed Cambridge
English-language tests with flying colours.
Several Mathayom students at Assumption College Sriracha took the Key
English Test (KET) in December. They have just received their results - and
more than 90 percent passed. Students in Assumption’s English Programme,
which offers more lessons a week with native speakers, achieved a 100
percent pass rate.
Those who passed KET were: Napat Ravirujiphant, Donlawat Jantaramporn,
Napath Chatrungrangsi, Mark Supamitpibool, Saranyu Mhadsri and Marthniti
Chantaramongkol.
Also passing KET were: Thanakrit Phinyaphab, Thomas Victor Webb, Nattapong
Permpoonsiri, Sorawis Virayodhin, Sorawee Virayodhin, Nutchapon Thanasathit,
Napon Ravirujiphant and Piriyapong Prachumsuk.
Five students passed KET With Merit: Jakrin Jitwatanawilai, Nuttapoom
Vongthaiwan, Vipu Ngamrattanakul, Anan Kunnajuk and Asanee Yuttasoontorn.
Three Mathayom 3 students passed the Preliminary English Test (PET) -
normally aimed at Mathayom 6 students. They were: Panas Kaewnoom, Jittaporn
Songprakob and Itthisak Chanpinphet. Head of Foreign Languages Department Ms
Suda Mongkolsit passed PET With Merit.
The exams test reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Several of Assumption’s teachers are qualified oral examiners for Cambridge
Young Learners Exams, KET and PET.
Assumption will be running special KET and PET summer camps soon, as well as
a Young Learners’ Camp for Prathom students.
Assumption College Sriracha is now authorised as an Associate Examining
Centre. This means any student from Chonburi can come to Assumption to take
Young Learners’ Starters, Movers or Flyers, or the KET and PET exams.
For more details on taking the exams or summer camp call the school on
038-311055-6 or e-mail [email protected]